The Emporia Gazette

May 27, 2012

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There is no shortage of things to do in and around Emporia this St. Patrick’s Day weekend from the cleaning of a train depot in Strong City to a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Emporia.

Beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday in Strong City there will be a clean-up day for the Strong City Depot. This will be the first opportunity for community members to see what kind of shape the depot is in.

“This has been a long time coming,” said Ruth Childs, coordinator of the Strong City Restoration Committee. “We’ve been waiting so long, between 10 and 15 years. And now that the city of Strong City has possession of the building, we can get to work.”

Rain date for the work day will be March 24. For more information, contact the Strong City City Hall at (620) 273-6345.

Also this Saturday, Matfield Green will be the site of the premiere of a film about the Kansas Prairie, “Flint Hills: Mediations From a Kansas Prairie.” John O’Hara, a filmmaker from Wichita produced the film. The film will be shown at 3 p.m. at the Hitchin’ Post in Matfield Green in conjunction with Matfield Green’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

O’Hara said he wanted to take a unique angle with the Flint Hills, not a historical piece or a travelogue.

“I kind of just headed out there and started shooting in February ’06,” O’Hara said. “It was a real spiritual experience for me. As long as I have lived (in Kansas) I had only seen the Flint Hills from the pavement driving 75 miles per hour.”

The broadcast premiere of the film will be at 8 p.m. April 29 on public television.

In Emporia, the 12th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place. Beverly Durham, chairwoman of the Emporia St. Patrick’s Day Committee said the parade begins at 1 p.m. Saturday and will start at Fourth Avenue and Commercial Street and proceed to 12th Avenue. The staging area will be at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Commercial Street.

Durham said the committee has brought in a new group of bagpipers out of Kansas City. The bagpipers are sponsored by Slead Farms and Town Royal.

The parade will be bigger this year because it’s on the actual holiday, Durham said.

“Plus the weather is looking good,” she added.

The St. Patrick’s Day Committee has been raising money with various fund-raising events and the proceeds this year will go to the Peter Pan Park Playground Project, Durham said.

Ring in spring with the Emporia Area Chamber and Visitors Bureau, which is hosting the Spring Expo on Saturday and Sunday at the Emporia Civic Auditorium, 111 E. Sixth Ave. Expo hours 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

There are indoor and outdoor exhibitors. Admission to the Expo is free and visitors can register for numerous door prizes. Emporia Master Gardeners and show exhibitors will be presenting special workshops and seminars throughout both days.

Also on Saturday, the second annual John Blaufuss Memorial Run/Walk starts at 9 a.m. at Union Square on the Emporia State University campus. Proceeds from the walk to benefit the Presidential Academic Awards scholarship program. Blaufuss, a long-time employee at ESU died in December 2005 when he was struck by a car while jogging.

Registration for the walk begins at 7:30 a.m. or the form can be found online at www.emporia.edu/saf/foundation/annualscholarshipdrive.htm. Registration is $20 per person. Registration forms can be picked up at Sauder Alumni Center, 1500 Highland St., or call 341-5440. There will be a reception at the Sauder Alumni Center following the walk/run Saturday.